‘Assam aims to bring additional 20% of cultivated land under irrigation’: Pijush Hazarika

CORRESPONDENTS

SIVASAGAR/GAURISAGAR: Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Parliamentary Affairs, Pijush Hazarika, on Tuesday attended a programme organised by the Sivasagar District Agriculture Department at Boarding Field in Sivasagar, where coconut and arecanut seedlings were ceremonially distributed among flood-affected farmers of Sivasagar and Charaideo districts. The programme was attended by Minister Sushanta Borgohain, MLAs Mayur Borgohain and Akhil Gogoi, along with officials of the district administration and senior officers of the Agriculture Department.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Pijush Hazarika reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting flood-affected farmers and strengthening the agricultural sector through irrigation expansion, crop diversification, and horticultural development.

The minister stated that, as per government records, irrigation coverage currently extends to approximately 21% of the cultivated land in Assam. He expressed confidence that the government would bring an additional 20% of cultivated land under irrigation over the next four and a half years, significantly enhancing agricultural productivity and reducing farmers’ dependence on rainfall.

Later in the day, the minister attended an awareness programme under Khet Bachao Abhiyan 2.0 at Betbari, Sivasagar, where he interacted with local farmers and urged them to adopt sustainable agricultural practices to protect soil health, maintain soil fertility, and enhance agricultural productivity.

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